


I (Pinky) Promise to Love You

by mminnex



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Fluff, M/M, Romance, kids!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-07-19 13:06:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7362556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mminnex/pseuds/mminnex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Chanyeol is obsessed with Rilakkuma; and pinky promises are still a legitimate foundation of trust.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As far back as he can remember they had been friends. Their mothers had said that their friendship started before they were even born; beginning while they were both in their mothers’ wombs. Baekhyun and Chanyeol had played together since they were in diapers; before they even knew what the word “friend” meant. They had lain in the same crib babbling at each other before they could even form words.

 

Baekhyun, underneath his boisterous personality, was shy at heart. He had cried, clinging onto his mother’s arms when she dropped him off for his first day of kindergarten. “I don’t wanna gooooo!” he had cried, dropping his mother’s hand to wrap his little arms around her legs like a koala. “Don’t leave Baekkie please!” It had taken the combined effort of the teacher and a few other parents to get Baekhyun off his mom, and as his teacher ~~dragged~~ walked him into the classroom, Baekhyun’s head did not turn away from his mom.

 

When he gets into the classroom, he immediately runs towards the make-believe corner, crawling into the playhouse and barricading the door with a box of Legos. Baekhyun proceeded to hug his knees to his chest, only to be interrupted by the sliding of the Legos box, indicating someone had pushed open the door. Little four-year-old Baekhyun huffs, eyes squinted at the person who dared to interrupt his private crying time, only to brighten at the familiar pair of large ears that poked through the crack.

 

“Baekkie?”

 

“Channie!”

 

“Whatchu doing in here?” Chanyeol asks, giving the plastic door a final push and frowning when he can’t get it to open all the way. He settles for sitting in front of the playhouse instead, scooting over so he’s looking at Baekhyun through the small four-frame window.

 

“I don’t wanna be here…” Baekhyun whispers, fresh tears beginning to fall from his face. “Baekkie wasn’t a bad boy! Why was Baekkie left here?” Baekhyun’s crying stops immediately the moment he hears Chanyeol snicker. Why was he laughing at him? Chanyeol was supposed to feel sorry for him! “Don’t laugh!”

 

“Baekkie it’s fun here!” Chanyeol grins, scooting closer to the window. “There are loooooots of toys here,” Chanyeol makes a show of spreading his arms wide, “even more than Baekkie has at home!”

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widen at the mention of toys. “R-really?”

 

Chanyeol nods enthusiastically, his grin never leaving his face. “Yup yup! And lots of friends too!”

 

Baekhyun shrinks back into himself. “B-but…what if they don’t like Baekkie?”

 

“Everyone will like Baekkie…” Chanyeol frowns, confused as to why his friend would think such ridiculous thoughts. “Just like Channie likes Baekkie!”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Pinky promise!” Chanyeol says, holding up his pinky finger and wriggling it.

 

And just like that, Chanyeol had gotten Baekhyun to crawl out of his hiding place. “Don’t worry Baekkie!” the taller boy had said, taking the smaller’s hand in his. “I’m here.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since their first day at kindergarten, they had been inseparable; the town’s two mischief-makers infamous for their rowdiness and playful pranks. To Baekhyun, Chanyeol was his best friend; and he was the best friend in the whole wide world to Chanyeol. Which is why five-year-old Byun Baekhyun was currently sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bedroom, tongue sticking out from the corner of his mouth, trying to loop the red strands through the yellow, glancing up and down between the strings in his hand and the pictures on the _How To Make Friendship Bracelet_ book his older brother, Baekbeom, had given him.

 

It was fun and exciting at first as he spread all of the different colored strings he had ~~forced~~ asked his mom to buy for him – _“but it’s for Channie!”_ he had whined, giving her his best puppy-dog look before she succumbed to her youngest son’s adorability. Starting the bracelet had been easy enough – he was a master at making knots (and even if he hadn’t been, he _definitively_ was by now); the first few loops and pulls had been easy as well…until he got to the end of the row. It was the starting of the new row of the bracelet that had him stuck; and what he’d been frustratingly working on since. He had been trying this for the past forever (well, it felt like forever anyway) – sitting in his room angrily knotting and unknotting the tangled strings. Baekhyun mumbles under his breath, pulling at the taut strings once again before giving up and cutting the knot off altogether with his Rilakkuma craft scissors Chanyeol had gifted him for his birthday.

 

The sound of heavy footsteps stomping up the stairs – along with the happy “Baekkie!” – turns his attention away from his ~~failed~~ project.

 

“NO!!” he yells, jumping up from his seated position – and almost falling back down from the tingles shooting up his short little legs – to clamber to his bedroom door. He reaches it at just the moment his best friend turns the knob and pushes the door slightly open. “YOU CAN’T COME IN!” Baekhyun yells, pushing all of his weight against the wood, sighing in relief when he hears the click of the door closing.

 

“B-Baekkie…?” he hears Chanyeol call from the other side, a hint of dejection in his tone. No… not sadness. Park Chanyeol never gets sad. His best friend was the Happy Virus! The Happy Virus was always happy; the Happy Virus always chased away all of Baekhyun’s fears. The Happy Virus was….sniffling?

 

Gasping, Baekhyun quickly turns and pulls his door open, meeting the saddened expression of his best friend. _‘Oh no…’_ he thinks, eyes beginning to water as he sees the tears pooling in Chanyeol’s eyes. He’s the worst friend ever; the worst, most horrible best friend in the whole wide world. “Channie…” Baekhyun whispers, rapidly blinking away his tears. Baekhyun is the older one here; he had to be strong for his little (but not so little) Chanyeollie. “Channie don’t cry! Please!” Baekhyun begs, wrapping his small arms around the crying boy.

 

“B-Baekkie!” Chanyeol wails as soon as he feels the smaller boy’s arms around him. “W-Why don’t you wanna p-play with me?”

 

If it were any other day, Baekhyun would laugh at the way his self-proclaimed knight-in-shining-armor of a best friend was crying like a baby in his arms; but not today. Today was Chanyeol’s birthday, and Baekhyun couldn’t let the birthday boy cry.

 

“I do wanna play with Channie! I do!” Baekhyun insists, eyes bright and wide as he looks up at his friend. Baekhyun makes a mental note to drink more milk (and maybe tell Mrs. Park to give Chanyeol less milk) as he watches the taller, _younger_ boy wipe at his eyes.

 

“Y-You do?” Baekhyun nods enthusiastically. “Then why did you close the door?” Chanyeol asks, tilting his head. “You hurt my finger,” the boy pouts, holding his slightly red finger up for Baekhyun to inspect.

 

Baekhyun brings both hands up to his mouth, gasping dramatically as his eyes widen at the sight of Chanyeol’s “injury.” “Channie! I’m so sorry!” Baekhyun yells, taking the other boy’s hand in his. “I’ll kiss it better, okie?”

 

Chanyeol nods as he watches Baekhyun bring his finger (which doesn’t even hurt that much anymore) to his mouth, making a show of kissing his boo-boo.

 

“Better?” Baekhyun asks warily, looking from Chanyeol to Chanyeol’s finger still in his hands.

 

“All better! Your kisses are magical Baekkie!” Chanyeol grins, enveloping the boy in a bone-crushing hug. “Eh? What’s that?” Chanyeol suddenly asks. Baekhyun yelps as he pushes Chanyeol away, holding his hands out on either side of him, trying to cover the ground with his body.

 

“No! You can’t look!”

 

“But…what is it?”

 

“It’s nothing! You can’t-” Baekhyun is interrupted as his friend uses his height to his advantage, standing on his tippy toes to look at the ground behind Baekhyun. “Hey!”

 

“Why is there string all over the floor Baekkie?” Chanyeol asks, genuinely curious as he stares at the mess on the ground. Baekhyun doesn’t say a word as he goes over to the pile and picks up what looks like a giant knot, bringing it over to Chanyeol and dropping it into the boy’s hand. “Uhh….”

 

Chanyeol doesn’t get to finish his thought as Baekhyun suddenly starts wailing, tears streaming down his face at an alarming rate. “I-I’m s-so sorry C-Channie!” the boy cries.

 

Flustered, Chanyeol rushes to gather his friend into his arms. “What happened Baekkie? Why are you crying? Did you hurt your finger too?” He feels Baekhyun shake his head against his chest. “What’s wrong?”

 

“That,” Baekhyun took a step back and points at the red and yellow mess in Chanyeol’s hand, “was supposed to be your birthday present. I was making you a friendship bracelet….but it was so hard and the strings wouldn’t loop a-and-”

 

Chanyeol never gets to know what else the strings had done to upset his friend, because Baekhyun is back in his embrace, crying into his chest again. “It’s okay Baekkie…it’s okay!”

 

“N-no it’s not!” Baekhyun yells, his response muffled in the material of Chanyeol’s Rilakkuma T-shirt.

 

“I love it Baekkie! Look!” Chanyeol says, wrapping the strings around his wrist, “it’s perfect!”

 

Baekhyun sniffles, wiping his tears with the back of his hand as he looks at his friend skeptically, glancing at the loose strings hanging on Chanyeol’s wrist. “You do?”

 

Chanyeol nods with a giant grin plastered across his face. “I love everything Baekkie makes for me!”

 

“Am I still your best friend?”

 

“The bestest!”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Pinky promise!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They remain attached at the hip all through grade school and middle school. Everyone always knew Byun Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol as the Dynamic Duo – the two best friends the world would ever know. It was a known fact that wherever Baekhyun was, Chanyeol was sure to be as well. Which was why everyone was so shocked when Baekhyun chooses to sit by himself at lunch one day, eyes glaring angrily at friend who was laughing at something the new transfer kid had said. “Traitor…” Baekhyun mumbles under his breath, stabbing the piece of potato. Another booming laughter from Chanyeol along with his playful slapping of the kid’s shoulder has Baekhyun seeing red.

 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol don’t hang out with each other for the rest of that week.

 

“Are you and Chanyeol okay?” his mom asks him one night at dinner.

 

“We haven’t seen him around lately,” his father adds.

 

“That traitor and I aren’t friends anymore,” Baekhyun retorts before violently stuffing rice into his mouth.

 

He doesn’t expect Baekbeom to ~~rudely~~ enter his room the following night, dragging a confused Chanyeol along behind him.

 

“WHAT’S HE DOING HERE!?” both Baekhyun and Chanyeol yells as soon as they catch sight of each other.

 

“I LIVE HERE YOU IDIOT!” Baekhyun yells back.

 

Baekbeom slaps a hand over Chanyeol’s mouth before he can even retort. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but figure it out. You’re both miserable without each other and it’s getting on my nerves.” The two pre-teens stare in shock as Baekhyun’s older brother pushes Chanyeol towards Baekhyun before exiting the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

 

Baekhyun glares at Chanyeol from his bed. “Leave.”

 

“But Baekbeom hyung said-”

 

“I DON’T CARE WHAT HE SAID, I’M TELLING YOU TO LEAVE!”

 

“WHY ARE YOU BEING LIKE THIS?!”

 

Baekhyun’s mouth drops open in shock. “Why am _I_ being like this? _I’m_ not the traitor here!”

 

“Who are you calling a traitor? _You’re_ the traitor!”

 

“Am not!”

 

“Are too!”

 

“AM NOT!!!”

 

“ARE TOO! ARE TOO! ARE TOO! YOU ARE A TRAITOR BYUN BAEKHYUN! YOU’RE NOT A GOOD FRIEND! YOU-” Chanyeol suddenly stops his yelling when he notices Baekhyun isn’t interrupting. The boy who _always_ had something to say wasn’t saying anything…he wasn’t yelling back. “Baek?”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t respond, and it was only then that Chanyeol notices the older boy’s hands fisted into his comforter, his head lowered. And if he isn’t mistaken, Baekhyun was crying – if the quiet sniffling was any indication.

 

“Ahh…Baek…” Chanyeol says, rubbing the back of his neck as he takes four steps towards the crying boy on the bed. A sudden sense of guilt overwhelms him when he comes close enough to notice Baekhyun’s body trembling. “Baekhyun…I’m sorry.” Baekhyun had always been his weakness; and a _crying_ Baekhyun was the only blow needed for Chanyeol to throw in his towel and accept defeat (sometimes even when he knew he wasn’t in the wrong). “Baekkie…say something. _Please_.”

 

Baekhyun does say something, but it’s so quiet even Chanyeol’s large ears couldn’t catch it.

 

“What?” Chanyeol asks, plopping onto the bed across from his friend. Baekhyun just shakes his head, breaking Chanyeol’s heart even more as he watches the tears drop onto the boy’s pajama bottom. “Baekhyun what did you say?”

 

“You don’t want me anymore…” Baekhyun finally whispers, risking a glance up at the taller boy.

 

“What–” Chanyeol cocks his head. “What makes you say that?”

 

“You don’t want to be my friend anymore…” Baekhyun whispers. “You only hang out with that midget of a transfer student now,” Baekhyun huffs, unknowingly pouting.

 

Chanyeol, resisting the urge to pinch Baekhyun’s cheek, only smiles. “ _That’s_ what you’re upset about? _Kyungsoo?_ ”

 

“More like Satan Soo,” Chanyeol hears Baekhyun mutter under his breath.

 

Chanyeol almost defends Kyungsoo’s honor – _almost_ ; but the short and quiet transfer student really was the devil disguised as a thirteen-year-old boy. “Baek…” Chanyeol laughs, finally understanding what had been upsetting his friend, “are you _jealous_?”

 

“I am not!”

 

Chanyeol laughs again at the slight pink tinge coloring his friend’s cheek. “You are, aren’t you?” Chanyeol teases. “You’re jealous of Do Kyungsoo!”

 

“Stop laughing at me!” Baekhyun shouts, only causing Chanyeol to double over in heavier laughter. “Park Chanyeol! You would be jealous too if your best friend was stolen away from you by some midget Satan child!”

 

“M-midget…” Chanyeol can’t even finish the rest of his thoughts as he clings onto his stomach, laughing so hard he can barely breathe.

 

“Will you stop?!” Baekhyun yells, throwing his yellow duck plushy into Chanyeol’s face. “STOP LAUGHING!”

 

“B-Baekhyun…” Chanyeol huffs, still trying to calm his breathing as he holds one hand over his chest, the corners of his mouth permanently curved upwards.

 

“If you start laughing again I’m throwing you out the window.”

 

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol starts, face turning red at his efforts to hold in his laughter, “I would never replace you.”

 

Baekhyun bites his lip, staring at Chanyeol with wide, uncertain eyes. “Never?”

 

“Never ever!” Chanyeol repeats, crossing his fingers in the shape of an “X” across his chest. “You’re my best friend, Baekkie, I could never replace you.”

 

“Promise?”

 

Chanyeol grins, showing off his teeth-rich smile (which, according to many people, was creepy; but to Baekhyun was the most beautiful smile in the whole wide world) and holds up his pinky.

 

“Pinky promise.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol wasn’t surprised when Baekhyun declared that he liked boys; what he _was_ surprised about was when his best friend told him he that he couldn’t come over on Saturday because he had plans with Wu Yifan – the boy two years above them.

 

“Why?” Chanyeol asks, expression schooled into that of indifference as they sit in the cafeteria of their high school.

 

“Why what?” Baekhyun questions, raising the spoon of rice to his mouth, squinting at his friend.

 

“Why Wu Yifan?”

 

“He prefers Kris,” Baekhyun shrugs, glancing towards the table where the older jock sits surrounded by his friends. “And why not? He’s handsome, and he’s cool.”

 

“He’s not even that cool,” Chanyeol grumbles under his breath, stabbing the broccoli with his chopsticks, missing the knowing smirk his friend sends his way.

 

The Saturday that Baekhyun goes on his date with the tall basketball team captain, Chanyeol stays at home and mopes in his Rilakkuma pajamas Baekhyun had gifted him, hiding under his blankets while hugging his pillow to his chest.

 

“Traitor…” he mumbles, punching the stuffed corgi doll he’d affectionately named “Hyunnie” after his crush. “How could he…” the abnormally tall sixteen-year-old asks Hyunnie, holding the doll out at arm’s length. “Stupid Kris Wu Yifan!” he yells, throwing the doll across the room, watching as it hits the door moments before the door swings open.

 

“Whoa,” Baekhyun chuckles, bending down to pick up the discarded corgi from the ground. “What’s got your panties in a twist?”

 

Chanyeol grumbles and hugs his pillow closer to his chest, his pout become more prominent. “What are you doing here?”

 

“What? I can’t come hang out with my best friend now?”

 

“What happened to _Kris?_ ” Chanyeol scoffs.

 

“He had practice,” Baekhyun shrugs, plopping down on the bed and taking the dog plushy from Chanyeol’s hold.

 

“Baek?” Chanyeol whispers after a few moments of silence.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Do you…do you like him?”

 

“Yeah…I guess I do.”

 

Chanyeol offrs an awkward smile, trying his best to keep his hurt at bay. “Good. I hope he makes you happy.

 

“You’re okay, right? You’re not upset? You know this isn’t me leaving you, right? We’re still best friends.”

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. “Nope! I think it’s great! Maybe we can even go on double dates some time!” Chanyeol swears Baekhyun frowned slightly, but when he looks back, his best friend’s face is graced with the beautiful smile he’d grown to love so much.

 

“You’d have to find a date first, Yoda,” Baekhyun teases, laughing when Chanyeol’s large ears turn red again. If it were anyone else, Chanyeol would’ve thrown a fit. If anyone else had the audacity to call him that nickname, he would’ve started throwing punches; but Baekhyun was different. Whenever the name came Baekhyun’s mouth, Chanyeol felt butterflies. Whenever Baekhyun playfully teased him, Chanyeol felt warm.

 

“Promise this won’t change our friendship?” Baekhyun continues, noticing his friend’s silence.

 

Chanyeol nods, albeit hesitantly. No, he won’t let something like that ruin the special bond between him and his Baekkie. What they had was special; and no one would be able to come between them. Baekhyun was his best friend; and Chanyeol was the bestest friend in the world to Byun Baekhyun.

 

“Pinky promise,” Chanyeol grins, holding up his pinky finger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol is dressed in his favorite Rilakkuma shirt and blue plaid pajama bottoms when Baekhyun runs into his room, tears streaming down his face. Chanyeol gives his parents a quick nod, letting them know he had everything under control before pulling a sobbing Baekhyun into his embrace, letting the brunet cry and soak through his beloved shirt. They sit in a comfortable silence while Chanyeol rubs circles onto Baekhyun’s back, waiting for his friend to calm down enough to tell him what was wrong (and who he’d have to beat up).

 

When Baekhyun’s crying calms, and as the trembling of the smaller boy’s boy became less noticeable, Chanyeol pushes Baekhyun slightly back in order to see the brunet’s face clearly, only to have Baekhyun whimper and cling even tighter to his torso.

 

“Baek?” he tries again, once again meeting resistance. “Baekkie…what happened?” Chanyeol swears Baekhyun replied – whether or not he replied in any human language Chanyeol can understand is a completely different story. “Uhh…what?”

 

Baekhyun looks up, red eyes filling up with more tears, “He broke up with me.”

 

Chanyeol feels his fingers curl into fists as he watches another heart wrenching sob leave his friend’s mouth. _‘Damn Wu Yifan… How dare he?’_ Chanyeol sighs, unsure of what to say. (What does one say when the love of your life who doesn’t know he’s the love of your life comes crying to you about some rich ~~prick~~ guy breaking up with them anyway?) Instead, he continues to rub the shorter male’s back, comforting him in silence instead.

 

“What’s wrong with me, Yeollie?” he hears Baekhyun whisper, face still resting against Chanyeol’s chest. Surprised, Chanyeol shoves Baekhyun off, holding the smaller’s shoulders in his hands. Did Baekhyun not know how perfect he was?

 

“Nothing is wrong with you,” Chanyeol says slowly, enunciating each word. “ _Nothing_.”

 

“Then why doesn’t he want me?”

 

“Because he’s stupid, and he doesn’t know what he’s missing. It’s his loss, Baek.”

 

Baekhyun’s bottom lip trembles at his friend’s sincerity. “It just hurts so much, Yeollie... My heart…it hurts so much.”

 

“I know, Baek,” Chanyeol says, pulling Baekhyun into a hug again. “I know.”

 

“You won’t ever leave me, right?”

 

“Of course not! You can’t get rid of me that easily, Byun Baekhyun!”

 

“Promise?” Baekhyun whispers, hesitantly holding his pinky finger up.

 

Chanyeol smiles as he hooks his finger around Baekhyun’s. “Pinky promise.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We’re finally living together!” Baekhyun exclaims, jumping onto his twin bed as Chanyeol stands at the doorway, taking in the room that he and Baekhyun would be sharing for the next two semesters.

 

“Yeah,” Chanyeol says, his grin widening as he walks over to sit on Baekhyun’s bed. “This is gonna be so fun, Baek. Just the two of us.”

 

Baekhyun smiles back and swings an arm around Chanyeol’s shoulders. “Yeah…just the two of us.”

 

It was “just the two of them” for all four years of college as well. Both had been offered to room with other friends that they’ve made in classes, and both had politely declined. “I’m taken,” Baekhyun would jokingly reply every time someone asked if he was set for a roommate the next year. Chanyeol would never say it aloud, but hearing Baekhyun say those words gave him butterflies; and sometimes, he even imagined Baekhyun saying it to others in the context of them being an item.

 

“Why don’t you just ask him out?” their mutual friend, Yixing, had asked one day. Yixing was a Chinese student studying abroad, who’d taken a liking to the dynamic duo. At first, Chanyeol had been rather jealous of the attention the Chinese male had showered onto Baekhyun, but he was put at ease when Yixing came up to him one day asking him for help in wooing the music major, Kim Jongdae.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Baekhyun. You like him, right?”

 

Chanyeol’s hand immediately goes to the back of his neck, rubbing it as his ears began to turn a deep shade of red. “Haha…w-why would you say that?”

 

“Anyone with eyes can see that you like him, Chanyeol. Ask him out and make it official before someone else takes him away.”

 

_‘Before someone else takes him away.’_

 

Yixing’s words ring in Chanyeol’s ears for the following few days, keeping him in a daze as he thinks about how he’d lost Baekhyun once in high school – resulting in his best friend getting hurt in the end – and of all the times Baekhyun had turned down dates from potential suitors during the last four years. Was he waiting for someone? Was he waiting for _him?_

 

Chanyeol gets his answer the next Saturday, when he’d asked Baekhyun to grab some dinner and catch a movie. “Not like we normally do though.”

 

Baekhyun looks up from his textbook and raises a brow, silently prompting him to explain.

 

“I mean–” Chanyeol brings his hand to the back of his neck and looks down at his bed, missing the knowing smirk from Baekhyun. “I mean not like just normal hanging out, ya know? Like…what Yixing and Jongdae do…”

 

“A date?”

 

“YEAH!” Chanyeol exclaims and then immediately covers his mouth with both of his hands, eyes wide. “I mean…only if you want to. But if you wanna just do what we normally do…”

 

“Chanyeol…”

 

“We can do that too and you can just forget what I just said and–”

 

“CHANYEOL! For the love of cake and Nutella, will you _please_ shut up?!” Chanyeol nods, shutting up immediately as he worries at his bottom lip. “Finally…” Baekhyun mutters, throwing his textbook to the side. “Now, ask me again.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Ask me again, _properly this time_ , what you would like to do Saturday.”

 

“Uh…Baek?” Baekhyun nods, motioning with his hand for Chanyeol to continue. “Will you…uh…go on a date with me this Saturday?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Yes?” Chanyeol repeats, shocked at how fast Baekhyun’s reply was.

 

“Yes.” Baekhyun repeats again, smiling.

 

“Promise?!” Chanyeol asks again excitedly, raising his pinky finger up.

 

Baekhyun laughs before also raising his pinky finger up, wriggling it in the air. “Pinky promise.”

 

Chanyeol could’ve sworn he heard Baekhyun mutter “it took you long enough” under his breath as he opens his textbook again to study, leaving his roommate to sit in shock on the bed opposite him.

 

Chanyeol takes Baekhyun out on their first official date on Saturday; and on Sunday, Chanyeol and Baekhyun are officially and item. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun pauses in his icing of the cake and peeks his head around the corner as he hears the door of his and Chanyeol’s two-bedroom apartment open. “You’re home,” he smiles in greeting.

 

“Hey babe,” Chanyeol greets back, exiting their bedroom and walking over to wrap the petite male in a hug. “You smell like you’ve been baking all day.”

 

Baekhyun laughs. “It’s what bakers tend to do, Chanyeol.”

 

“You came home early?”

 

“Hmmm,” Baekhyun hums, returning his attention to the strawberry crème cake he’d been icing. “Dinner’s almost ready, can you check on the asparagus?”

 

Chanyeol nods and walks over to the oven to pull out of the tray of greens. “Smells good.”

 

“You always say everything smells good.”

 

“That’s because everything you make _does_ smell good.”

 

“And the taste?”

 

Chanyeol laughs, causing Baekhyun to turn towards him with a raised brow. “Your cakes taste good, baby, but let’s just agree that I’m better at cooking.” Baekhyun pouts as he watches Chanyeol plate the food. “Ahhh stop pouting, you big baby,” Chanyeol teases, pecking his boyfriend on the lips as he walks passed him into the dining room with the two plates. Baekhyun follows shortly after, placing the cake in the center of the table.

 

“Let’s eat!” the brunet exclaims, eying the cake hungrily.

 

“Wait, Baek,” Chanyeol says, fidgeting with his fingers under the table. “I forgot something in my suit jacket, will you go get it for me?”

 

Baekhyun squints at the taller male. “Why can’t you get it? You have legs, don’t you?”

 

“Please, Baek?” Chanyeol pouts, giving his best puppy-dog eyes. “It’s been a long day.” He smiles when he hears his boyfriend let out a sigh of defeat.

 

“ _Fine_. But you know that my puppy-dog look is _so_ much better than yours, right?”

 

Chanyeol only chuckles as he watches Baekhyun walk into their bedroom, and waits with baited breath, taking a few sips of the wine on the table. What was taking him so long? Could he not find it? Chanyeol swore that he’d place the–

 

A loud shriek – whether in anger or surprise, Chanyeol isn’t sure – breaks Chanyeol from his thoughts, and not even a moment later, his petite boyfriend comes storming out of their bedroom with a small box held out in front of him.

 

“Park Chanyeol, what is _this_?” Baekhyun asks, waving the box around.

 

Chanyeol stands and walks over to Baekhyun, leading him to sit in the chair. He grabs the box from his boyfriend’s hands, finally noticing how Baekhyun’s entire body is trembling in his seat; and as he kneels down on one knee, he can see the tears starting to form in the brunet’s eyes.

 

“You know I’ve never been one who was good with my words…” Chanyeol begins, taking one of Baekhyun’s hands in his, “but I feel like words are lost between us, when there is so much more to what we have together. You’ve been with me through every single milestone of my life; you’ve witnessed all my good, my bad, and my embarrassing moments. I feel like there’s really nothing I can say to make you understand how much you mean to me because to me, you’re worth so much more than words. You’re priceless; truly one of a kind. You’ve been there for me whenever I needed you, as my rock…as my friend. You were my first… _everything_ , and I want you to be my last as well. So…” Chanyeol took a shaky breath as he opened the box in his hand, taking out the ring. “Would you do me the honor of being my last everything? Byun Baekhyun, will you marry me?”

 

Chanyeol’s not sure if Baekhyun is sobbing because he’s touched, or because Chanyeol was proposing to him with a Rilakkuma ring. What he _is_ sure about is the furious nodding, accompanied by the loud “YES!” right before his boyfriend – no, his _fiancé_ , throws his arms around his neck.

 

“I love you so much, you stupid giant!” Baekhyun cries into his shoulder, gently hitting his chest with his balled up fist.

 

“I love you too, Baekkie. And I’ll always love you. Forever.”

 

Baekhyun pulls away slightly, a small pout on his face as he connects their gaze. “Promise?” he asks, holding up his pinky finger.

 

Chanyeol smiles and pulls Baekhyun into a kiss before hooking his pinky finger with Baekhyun’s. “Pinky promise.”

 

 

 

  ** _-fin-_**

 


	2. White Snow; White Tux; White Day

“I can’t believe he actually proposed to you with a Rilakkuma ring,” Kyungsoo deadpans (for the fortieth time since they’ve announced their engagement) while holding onto Baekhyun’s hand to observe the cheap plastic ring with the signature brown bear on his ring finger. “And I can’t believe you actually said yes.”

 

Baekhyun chuckles and pulls his hand back, holding it up slightly to admire the ring. “Why wouldn’t I?” 

 

Kyungsoo makes a show of looking around the house, and then leans forward towards Baekhyun and lowers his voice. “There’s still time to change your mind, you know.”

 

“Do Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol growls as he strolls into the living room wiping his still-wet hair with the towel hanging from his shoulders, “stop trying to sabotage my marriage.”

 

“What marriage? You’re not even married yet.”

 

Baekhyun sniggers and Chanyeol groans. “Baek, do something!” the taller male whines, flopping down onto the couch next to his fiancé. 

 

“Do what?” Baekhyun asks with amusement in his eyes. “You were the one who choose him as your best man.”

 

“I’m starting to regret that now…” Chanyeol grumbles under his breath, “should’ve chosen Sehun…”

 

“Don’t you dare mention that name in front of me!” Kyungsoo yells, suddenly becoming serious. 

 

Baekhyun and Chanyeol exchange glances, and Baekhyun shrugs as if to say, “I thought you knew better.”

 

“Uhh…” Chanyeol says, rubbing at the back of his neck as he tries to change the topic, “so what were you guys discussing?” He heaves a sigh of relief when Kyungsoo picks up the wedding planning folder and points out the seating arrangement that he and Baekhyun had been discussing, and wraps his arms around Baekhyun’s waist as he leans his chin on his fiancé’s shoulder and joins in on the conversation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun sighs as he walks away from the window where the soft snow continues to fall, enveloping the ground in white. If anyone told him that he’d be marrying the goofy looking, big-eared kid he called his friend years ago, Baekhyun would have laughed in their face. He’s not entirely sure at what point in time his platonic adoration for his best friend morphed into love; or at what point in time his idiot of a friend thought it’d be a good idea to _want_ to spend the rest of his life tied to him… All Baekhyun was 110% sure about was that today, he was going to marry the love of his life, and that he couldn’t be happier. 

 

If happy felt like a swarm of butterflies battling it out in the pit of your stomach, making you want to vomit.

 

Baekhyun checks his reflection in the rustic freestanding floor mirror and straightens out the nonexistent wrinkles in his peak lapel white tuxedo. He holds up his left hand and examines it – the finger on which he’d been wearing the plastic ring is now bare. Baekhyun thumbs at his finger, feeling the absence of the missing ring. He turns his head and smiles when he sees his brother poke his head into the room.

 

“Wow, Baek,” Baekbeom says, closing the door behind him as he walks towards his brother, “you look great.”

 

“Really?” Baekhyun chuckles, returning his gaze back to the mirror and adjusting his collar, “I don’t look like I’m about to vomit or pass out or something? Because right now, it definitely feels like I will…”

 

Baekbeom places his hands on his younger brother’s shoulders and give them a gentle squeeze. “You’re nervous.”

 

“Ha… that’s an understatement.”

 

“You’ll be okay. Once you’re out there, everything will be alright again.”

 

Baekhyun turns and smiles at his brother before wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him into a hug. “Hyung?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I never really thank you…”

 

“For what?” the elder Byun chuckles, pulling away from the hug. “For being the best older brother in the world?”

 

Baekhyun scoffs and rolls his eyes, but the smile remains on his face. “No, for forcing Chanyeol to come see me and locking us in my room that day.”

 

“You guys would’ve figured it out without me,” Baekbeom says.

 

“Maybe…maybe not. Either way, thank you.” Baekbeom reaches over and ruffles Baekhyun’s hair, and has his hand swatted away within seconds. “What are you doing?” Baekhyun shrieks, “you’’ll mess up my hair!” There’s no heat behind his words however when he turns to fix the stray hairs that have fallen out of place with his tongue sticking out slightly between his lips. A knock at the door has both brothers cranking their heads around curiously. “Come in,” Baekhyun calls out.

 

Kyungsoo peeks his head in, and for a moment he just stares at Baekhyun in silence. “Uhh,” the petite male clears his throat, “it’s time.”

 

Baekhyun nods and thanks him, and Kyungsoo retreats back and closes the door. Baekbeom looks down at his wristwatch and chuckles when he looks back up to find his brother on the verge of hyperventilating. 

 

“Relax, Baekhyun,” he says, placing a comforting hand on his brother’s back, “you’re going in there to marry the man that you love. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

 

Baekhyun blankly nods and takes a deep breath, allowing his exhale to come out nice and slow. “You’re right…” he says, once again thumbing at his ring finger. “I can do this.”

 

Baekbeom laughs and offers his arm to his brother. “Let’s go get you married, baby bro.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The moment the double doors of the church hall open, all of the nervousness cascades out of Baekhyun and is quickly replaced by the euphoria of seeing the man he loves standing at the end of the aisle. He almost breaks down and laughs when he sees Chanyeol’s eyes widen, and then fill up with tears. His groom slaps his own hand over his mouth, and Baekhyun can’t help but smile at Chanyeol’s cute antics when the taller male starts rubbing at his eyes with his other hand.

 

“I knew he’d cry…” Baekbeom mutters under his breath, only loud enough for Baekhyun to hear him over the processional song. 

 

Baekhyun doesn’t say anything in response. Rather, he focuses all of his attention on the man before him – because in that moment, Chanyeol was the only one he could see; the only person that mattered. Everything and everyone blurred together into one big mass, and the only thing that remained clear as day was the strikingly handsome man standing in his black notch lapel slim fit tuxedo, looking every bit like a model gracing the cover of a magazine. He doesn’t even realize that he’s shaking until they reach Chanyeol, and Baekbeom gives his trembling hand to Chanyeol with a mumbled warning to take good care of his baby brother _or else_.

 

“Hey,” Baekhyun whispers with a smile, tears also beginning to sting his eyes. 

 

Chanyeol sniffs and flashes his goofy grin. “ _God_ Baek, you’re stunning.”

 

“You’re not lookin’ too shabby yourself,” Baekhyun smirks. 

 

The officiant clears his throat, and Chanyeol and Baekhyun shut up and turn their heads expectantly. Baekhyun doesn’t hear anything the man says however, his focus still remains solely on the man holding tightly onto both of his hands. It’s only when he feels Chanyeol’s light squeeze that he turns to glance at the officiant, who looks at him expectantly. 

 

“Huh?” Baekhyun dumbly asks, causing several of their wedding guests to chuckle. 

 

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol whispers, “your vows?”

 

“Oh!” Baekhyun exclaims, dropping Chanyeol’s hands to reach into the inside pocket of his tuxedo. He pulls out a folded piece of paper, which he slowly opens (painstakingly slow, in Chanyeol’s opinion). Baekhyun clears his throat and looks up at Chanyeol when he finally has the paper ready in his hands. 

 

“Chanyeol,” he begins, and smiles when Chanyeol all but bounces on his feet in excitement, “I can’t even remember a moment in my life when you weren’t in it. You’ve captured my heart just by being exactly who you are – the most sweetest, most compassionate, most loving and caring person I’ve ever have the pleasure of meeting. You’ve been by my side as my bestest friend through all of the good and the bad. You’ve been the reason that I smile, and you’ve been my comfort when I cry. You believed in me in moments when no one else would, and you showed me how to love with passion and with unconditional acceptance. I’m ready to spend the rest of a lifetime with you… but I’m not sure a lifetime is enough to return all that you have given me. Today, I give you my trust and my love. In poverty, I promise to do everything in my power to make our love rich; and in wealth to never let our love grow poor. I’m so, _so_ ready to call you my husband. To laugh with you and cry with you, to support you and always believe in you. I love you so much, Park Chanyeol, forever and always.”

 

Chanyeol is a crying mess by the time Baekhyun finishes and folds up his paper again. The officiant gives him a moment to calm down, and then asks for him to read his vows that he’d prepared. Unlike Baekhyun, Chanyeol doesn’t have notes, and Baekhyun wonders if he’d maybe thought about his vows a little too much. Baekhyun’s focus is back on Chanyeol when the taller male begins to speak.

 

“Byun Baekhyun, you’re the most annoying, aggravating, and stubborn person I know.”

 

Baekhyun’s jaw drops open, and if it wasn’t for Chanyeol’s quick “let me finish!” he probably would’ve slapped the man right then and there.

 

“ _Regardless of all that_ ,” Chanyeol continues, staring pointedly at his now-fuming groom, “you mean so much to me and I wouldn’t have you any other way. No one is perfect, but with all of your strengths and weaknesses mixed together with mine, _together_ we are perfect. I never would’ve thought that two completely imperfect people would come together so perfectly and be so happy. You complete me in more ways that I ever thought was possible. 

 

I want with all my heart to be the best person that I can be for you. I promise to love you forever. I promise to laugh with you when times are good, and I promise to endure with you when times get tough. I promise to wash away your tears with my kisses, and I promise to stay true to you and always work things out even when we fight. I promise to honor and cherish you, and I promise to love and protect you with everything that I am and everything that I will be. You mean so much to me, Baekhyun. Not one word or feeling can describe the love that I have for you. I love you. I promise, forever and always.”

 

Baekhyun wipes away the tears that are streaming down his cheeks, and watches as Kyungsoo steps forward to hand over the rings. He chuckles when Chanyeol shows him two identical white gold bands with two small diamonds in between three engraved Rilakkuma’s faces. He holds up his hand and allows Chanyeol to slide his ring onto his fourth finger, and then takes the remaining ring and places it on Chanyeol’s hand. 

 

“I love you so much,” Chanyeol says as he leans down to kiss his husband, “and I always will.”

 

“Promise?” Baekhyun asks, smirking as he holds up his smallest finger.

 

Chanyeol hooks his own pinky with Baekhyun’s. “Pinky promise.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol loosens his tie and saunters over to the bed in which Baekhyun is currently sprawled across. “Tired?” he asks as he sits on the edge of the bed, unbuttoning his top two buttons. 

 

Baekhyun hums in response and rolls over to cling onto Chanyeol’s thighs. “Today was perfect.”

 

“Even more than perfect,” Chanyeol responds, leaning down to heave Baekhyun up and into his lap. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting until the day I could finally call you mine.”

 

“ _God,_ you’re so cheesy,” Baekhyun groans, hiding the smile on his face in Chanyeol’s neck. He lifts himself up and swings a leg over the bed so that he’s now sitting fully on Chanyeol’s lap, and wraps his arms around his husband’s neck. _Husband_. Baekhyun smiles as he repeats the word over in his head.

 

“What are you smiling about?”

 

“I was just thinking…” Baekhyun says, leaning forward to place a peck on Chanyeol’s lips, “about how much,” he places another kiss, this time on Chanyeol’s jaw, “I want you out of that shirt.” He sits back and smirks at Chanyeol’s dumbfounded expression, which unfortunately doesn’t last very long. 

 

One minute Baekhyun is straddling Chanyeol’s thighs, and in the next he finds himself horizontal, flipped over and pinned to the bed. He feels Chanyeol’s fingers busy at work as they unbutton his shirt, and greedily returns Chanyeol’s kisses, chasing after the man’s lips with a whine when Chanyeol moves to slide his shirt completely off him. Baekhyun grabs Chanyeol’s nape and pulls his upper body up, and then connects their lips again as he impatiently tugs at Chanyeol’s shirt, sending a few buttons flying onto the floor. 

 

“Hey, careful!” Chanyeol says, sliding the shirt off himself to save his remaining buttons, “I liked that shirt.”

 

Baekhyun growls and pulls Chanyeol down. His mouth finds Chanyeol’s and he kisses him again. Baekhyun’s kiss is anything but guiltless; it was desperate, a whole body, tongue-down-the-throat, take-me-now kind of kiss. 

 

Chanyeol feels the urgent, primal need to touch Baekhyun take over; to meet him flesh on flesh. “I want you naked,” he rasps out as he pulls back to work on his own pants. Baekhyun nods eagerly and works to unbutton his bottoms, sliding them down along with his boxer over his hips. Chanyeol helps him the rest of the way, grabbing the pants and tugging them off of his ankles. He tosses them onto the ground, not really caring that they’re making a mess of the room. “You’re so beautiful,” Chanyeol groans as he runs his hands over Baekhyun’s torso, up his chest. 

 

Baekhyun lifts himself up slightly and reaches over to pull the bedside drawer out. He flops back down an instant later and tosses a bottle of lube at Chanyeol. He watches as Chanyeol squirts the product onto his fingers and gasps when he once again leans down to take Baekhyun’s mouth in a greedy, devouring kiss while simultaneously thrusting his hand in between Baekhyun’s legs, spreading them open. Baekhyun parts his legs to Chanyeol’s questing fingers and mewls when his husband pushes the first finger into him. His nails dig into Chanyeol’s back as the latter works him into a frenzy with his fingers as he drives his tongue into his mouth. 

 

“More,” Baekhyun moans when he finds himself bucking against Chanyeol’s hand, trying to get the fingers to reach deeper. He becomes frustrated when Chanyeol doesn’t fasten the pace, but rather slows down, teasing him as he smirks. “Chanyeol!” Baekhyun grumbles, pushing the taller male off him and onto his back. He swings his leg over and straddles Chanyeol’s legs, reaching for the abandoned bottle of lube. Baekhyun squirts a generous amount onto his hand and then wraps it around Chanyeol’s length, rubbing it up and down and occasionally rubbing his fingers across the tip, earning a groan from the man below him. It’s Baekhyun’s turn to smirk when he lines himself up and pushed himself down. 

 

With a throaty moan, Chanyeol sucks in his breath when Baekhyun engulfs his member, wrapping it in his heat. He begins to move his hips, meeting Baekhyun halfway as Baekhyun goes down again, sheathing him to the hilt. The room is filled with nothing but pants and moans, and the sound of skin slapping against skin. 

 

“Switch with me,” Chanyeol manages to croak out, and Baekhyun nods soundlessly as he allows Chanyeol to manhandle his body onto the bed. His world tilts off axis for a moment when Chanyeol hits his prostate, and he wraps his legs around Chanyeol to pull him closer, hoping for more. 

 

Chanyeol’s hands grip onto Baekhyun’s waist, thrusting into him over and over. He throws his head back and groans loudly when his orgasm hits him, and Baekhyun follows him shortly after with a cry. Chanyeol pants as he remains in position, allowing himself time to come down from his high. Eventually, he pulls out and reaches over the bed to grab the closet thing he could grab, and then proceeds to wipe the milky substance off of Baekhyun and himself. Baekhyun laughs from beneath and and throws an arm over his eyes, and Chanyeol raises his eyebrows. “What?”

 

“You’re using your favorite shirt to wipe our cum.” 

 

Chanyeol stares down at his hand and almost whines. “Fuck,” he says as he tosses it back onto the ground.

 

“It’s okay,” Baekhyun says, pulling Chanyeol down to lie next to him, “I’ll buy you another one.”

 

“You better,” Chanyeol pouts, wrapping his arms around Baekhyun and pulling him closer. They cuddle in silence, and Chanyeol almost believes that Baekhyun had fallen asleep until the smaller male turns slightly and grins at him. “Hmm?”

 

“I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Baek.” Baekhyun turns himself all the way around and wraps his arms around Chanyeol, nestling his face against Chanyeol’s chest. “Hey Baek,” Chanyeol mutters against Baekhyun’s head.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I just remembered…” he gently lifts Baekhyun’s face up with his fingers and plants a kiss on his husband’s lips, “Happy White Day.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just in case anyone was curious, this is what their rings look like ^^ https://twitter.com/mminnex_/status/841812040591237120


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